Ricardo Fuller gave free-scoring Stoke the lead but they were pegged back by the prolific Iain Hume, who fired home his fifth goal in as many games.
Leicester were forced to make a change when Patrick Kisnorbo failed a late fitness test on an injured knee with Darren Kenton taking his place alongside Paddy McCarthy.
It was Stoke who carved out the first chance when Lee Hendrie's quick free-kick found Fuller inside the penalty area but the burley striker was unable to control the ball and the chance slipped away.
The game had got away to a quiet start with the home side having to wait until the 17th minute for their first worthwhile attempt on goal when Steve Simonsen parried a 22-yard drive from Danny Tiatto who had run unchallenged from the halfway line.
Moments later Tiatto let fly from a similar distance with the keeper again needing two attempts to kill the ball.
On 22 minutes the Australian international got his third effort on target after he was set-up by Andy Johnson with Simonsen again making a crucial save.
Stoke, in a rich vein of form themselves with three wins and a draw in their last five, struggled to make an impression on Leicester's reorganised rearguard.
But they went close on the half-hour mark when Hendrie's far-post corner was headed narrowly wide by Danny Higginbotham.
Then on 42 minutes Higginbotham's quickly-taken free-kick found the unmarked Fuller at the far post and he had time and space to hook a shot over the stranded Conrad Logan and into the far corner of the net.
Leicester were level in time added-on at the end of the first half when Momo Sylla's half-cleared free-kick fell to Hume, who took one touch before drilling a low shot beyond Simonsen from 12 yards.
The Potters created the first clear chance after the re-start when Fuller ended a run with a rising shot, while at the other end Richard Stearman saw his header drift just wide.
The Foxes' persistence was rewarded when Hughes struck to give them a 64th minute lead.
Stearman made good ground down the right before passing inside to the former Rangers midfielder who arrowed a 20-yard shot just inside Simonsen's right-hand post.
The visitors came close to drawing level on 75 minutes when Fuller's hooked shot from an Andy Griffin free-kick crashed against the bar with the home defence grateful to scramble the ball clear.
Leicester continued to live dangerously as Stoke enjoyed plenty of possession but Tiatto almost made the game safe on 80 minutes when he hammered in a rising free-kick which flew just over.